The Science behind the Art

Diagram 1: Tango A Southern Breeze Blue Wolf dog

METHODOLOGY

Research Hypothesis:

The popular view held by society is that animals make lovely companions, are good to eat and can be useful in service to mankind. If people accepted that animals are sentient beings who share emotions and feelings similar to our own then the world’s views and treatment of these beings would have to change.
In this paper, I intend to demonstrate that animals are sentient beings and that animal communication is possible and is not to be dismissed as a pseudoscience.
There is a great deal of anecdotal evidence to show that animals are sentient beings, which I will draw on in this paper. Furthermore, I argue that we can communicate with an animal by means of telepathy. This is not a special gift, but a skill that each and every one of us possesses but have forgotten. It can, however, be relearned. This is discussed in the paper.

Significance: People tend to view animals as inferior beings as they do not appreciate their sentience. The significance of this study is to provide evidence that animal communication is possible and to demonstrate that animals are sentient beings. Doing this may result in a change in the behaviour of people towards animals. Being able to change the way that people view the animal kingdom could bring about very positive changes in the way animals are treated as pets, work partners, a food source and in their natural habitat.
The methodology used was qualitative and based on research gathered. It consists of literature reviews followed by two case studies. It is empirical in nature. Participants: The participants for the case study were randomly selectedData Collection tools: Relevant internet data bases and other scientifically based material. (Listed in the research proposal)

INTRODUCTION

This paper discusses research into an intuitive skill known as animal communication. “Intuition” is defined as acquiring knowledge through an ability to understand or know something immediately without needing to think about it, learn it or discover it by using reason (http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/intuition). Animal communication is an intuitive skill, but can be learned.
The method that is used to communicate with animals is telepathic communication. Telepathic communication is the first language of all living beings. It's our natural ability to sense the thoughts, feelings, images, ideas and sensations of another being - whether our own or a different species - without the spoken word. This innate ability enables each of us to more fully understand what the other is experiencing in life (http://www.spirit-to-spirit.net/telepathic.htm).
Ever since the beginning of the relationship that developed between man and the animals, man has always regarded himself as the superior being. This is largely due to the fact that man feels he is the only sentient being, that animals do not fall into this category, and therefore that man is the supreme ruler of the planet. Sadly, this has contributed to widespread poor treatment of animals. Yet I believe this assumption is incorrect.
In this paper, I will show that animals are truly sentient and that it is possible to communicate with them, in the hope this knowledge will change people’s attitudes to animals.
While animal communication is an intuitive skill, it relies on the existence of the Universal Energy Field, through which we can access consciousness and communicate non-verbally. The scientific philosophy behind this will be discussed in this paper.
The paper starts with a discussion of why animals should be regarded as sentient beings, using evidence to show that they fulfil the criteria have evolved to define beings as sentient. The discussion starts by using the following definitions of sentience: being able to perceive or feel things (Oxford English Dictionary), exhibit sensations and feeling and having “conscious perception” (http://www.ehow.com/facts_5758404_definition-sentient.html). This last, the idea of consciousness, is an abstraction and poses the most problems to describe. It is something philosophers continue to grapple with.
Building on the discussion of definitions, field and quantum theory are then explained in the context that relates to animal communication. Using these theories, it is shown that consciousness is present in all places in the body and not just the brain. As understanding the concept of the individual as well as the universal energy field is central to understanding the scientific theory that explains telepathic transfer of information, this concept is also discussed. That the universal energy field can be conceptualised as a “web” which we can literally log onto in order to telepathically communicate is discussed.
Then I discuss in detail the process of actual communication: from learning to still the mind, to opening the heart to receiving some form of interaction with the animal. I also discuss the things that block our ability to communicate effectively.
The next section is about how animal communication can be useful to us and how to practically apply this skill set. It describes situations where serious medical conditions need decisions to be made for an animal and situations where these skills are used to locate a lost pet. I present two case studies as anecdotal evidence of how helpful animal communication is in dealing with sick and lost animals.
Finally, the conclusion of this paper summarises my findings and how the knowledge I gained in writing this paper has benefitted my practice of animal communication and fuelled my desire to play a role in letting people know the significance and joy that is to be obtained through learning this skill and getting in touch with all forms of life. I plan to establish a website where people can read inspirational stories and information on the topic of animal sentience. I am sure that knowing animals are sentient will change how people treat the animals they come into contact with.

ANIMALS ARE SENTIENT BEINGS

There can be no doubt in any pet owner’s mind that his/her animal has an emotional response to stimuli. Dogs wag their tails and rush to greet an owner when he/she arrives home. Most animals will wait at the door when it is close to your usual time of arrival. You only have to accidentally tread on a dog’s toe to know by his yelp that he feels pain.
Sentience is regarded as having the ability to feel and there can be no doubt that this is true when we look at the animal kingdom. In this section, I look at sentience and show that animals have feelings and emotions similar to humans.
Animals possess the same five senses as us. These are sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste. Animals also share much of the same physical and chemical responses to sensory happenings. (Balcombe 2006:21) Human emotions are linked to two brain structures, called the amygdala and the hypothalamus, and mediated by biochemicals including dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. Many animals, especially mammals, have the same neurological structures and brain chemicals as us humans do. (Balcombe 2006:14) This makes their brains anatomically very similar to our human brains.
Brain Positron Emission Topography (BPET) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans provide further evidence that animals experience emotions like we do. They also experience physical pain in the same way. It is very interesting to note that animals seem to have expectations. When something blocks these from being fulfilled, they show determination and persistence, then may become angry and frustrated and finally give up, but do not forget the experience. Animals also dream and experience REM sleep which is usually associated with a rich imagination. Animals also show signs of planning, like sheep that will wait until the farmer goes out and then roll across a cattle grid (knowing the risk of hurting their legs if they walk across the grid, they roll) in order to get into the neighbouring farm field. (Balcombe 2006)
Animals must be regarded sentient beings as there is a wealth of evidence to show animals experience a vast range of emotions and have fun just as we do (Balcombe 2006:22).
Humans tend to place a huge emphasis on intelligence. The problem is that we base judgement of the intelligence of animals in human terms. In order to judge the intelligence of an animal, we have to do it in the context of the animal’s environment, diet and other factors. An example is the Wilson Warbler. These birds migrate thousands of miles each spring, yet they return to the same spot in the woods that they nested in the previous year. They even recognise their neighbours. A bird called the honey guide can remember all the beehives in a 100-mile radius. An experiment was done exposing rats to cigarette smoke for four hours a day. The rats then placed their faeces in the smoke delivery system so it became blocked (Balcombe 2006:25).
There are some reported examples of insight learning in apes. Lethmate describes the following sequence suggesting insight in a young orangutan: The orangutan was given a long rod which could be inserted into a transparent plastic tube to reach a sweet and push it out. The orangutan knew what the sweet was but he did not know how to use the rod as a tool to obtain it. At first, he bit the tube and tried unsuccessfully to insert the tool. He then moved away and sat down, apparently in frustration as he began to perform stereotyped (repetitious) behaviours with the tool and blanket. Then he glanced back at the tube and, apparently, at this moment the insight came to him. He got up, walked over to the tube carrying the rod, inserted it into the tube and obtained the sweet. Although he was, of course, rewarded by eating the sweet, this was only at the end of the sequence and his solution to the problem did not have to be conditioned by giving him lots of rewards during the learning of the task. Instead, the problem appeared to be solved in a flash of insight. (Rogers 2000:63)
Animals love to play. Who hasn't experienced a dog dropping the ball at your feet waiting for you to throw it again and again? Animals have invitations to let the other animals know that the game is on. Mongooses wave their tails from side to side, ravens have a special play walk, dogs do a play bow and brown bears wobble their head from side to side. Ravens have been seen playing games sliding down the roof and then going back up to do it again. They also enjoy tobogganing on their backs down snow banks. Groups of birds play games where one drops a stick and the other has to catch it. Seagulls play the same game but using a stone. Elephants enjoy trunk wrestling. Komodo dragons like to play tug-of-war. An octopus has been observed taking an empty pill bottle, pushing it into a strong water flow, and then catching it before repeating the process. Squirrels have been often known to come up to a window to tease a cat that is safely locked behind the glass. (Balcombe 2006:67)
Do animals have sex for pleasure rather than simply for procreation purposes? Animals have been observed having oral sex, stimulating their genitals using their hands, flippers or paws and even been seen to have interspecies sexual coupling. As masturbation can in no way be used for procreation, it must be assumed the animal does it for pleasure. All female mammals have a clitoris. Bonobo apes have females who engage in mutual masturbation. This is done about once every two hours. Male Bonobo Apes engaged in homosexual behaviour including fellatio and manual masturbation. Captive male rhesus macaques sometimes would rather have anal sex with another male than intercourse with a female. Pregnant seals close to term will often copulate when they come to shore. Spinner dolphins have sex all year round. White tailed deer unsheathe their penises, lick them and then rub them against their rib cage until they ejaculate (Balcombe 2006:106-109). This would seem to show that many species of animals enjoy sexual encounters and will actively seek them out for pleasure rather just procreation.

Diagram 4: Two pigs in a very loving embrace

Animals derive pleasure from physical contact with each other. There is no mistaking that dogs love to be petted and will repeatedly solicit touch. Touch conveys a message of trust and mutual like. Meerkats constantly touch each other, especially when they are sleeping. Zebras like to stand nose to tail resting their heads on each other's rumps. Dolphins in captivity often select to have a rub rather than a fish if allowed to choose a reward. Social grooming is widespread in mammals and many birds allopreen. Cows often lick each other and horses like to groom each other. Hippos queue up for the fish to groom them and clean their teeth. This often makes them fall asleep (Balcombe 2006;125).
All the behavioural criteria discussed above are used to define a being as sentient – particularly in reference to why we as humans are sentient. With the wealth of evidence all around us that animals also fulfil these criteria, how can we fail to regard an animal as a sentient being who feels like we do and has a comparable intelligence when judged by suitable criteria? The sooner people can acknowledge this, the sooner the world can become a far happier and safer place for animals to inhabit. (Balcombe 2006:143)There can be little doubt that animals are sentient beings that experience a whole range of emotions similar to our own. Knowing this, one should then regard animal communication as a wonderful opportunity to learn and broaden our horizons regarding our views on animals.
Many native cultures regard animal telepathy as a very natural part of life. Shamans and medicine men/woman rely on animal guides and spirit animals in order to help them with their spiritual work. These indigenous people regard themselves as part of the “web of life”. This is the universal energy field where all consciousness is considered to reside. In the next section we will be discussing some scientific theories that support the existence of this field.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND HOW IT ALL WORKS

Recent advances in science have shown that all living things are surrounded by an energy field. Surrounding this energy field is a larger field known as the universal energy field. Telepathic communication is possible through being able to access this universal field, much like a computer logs onto the internet in order to gain information. In order to better understand these concepts we need to look at the science behind them.

Field Theory:

In the early 19th century the discovery of electromagnetic phenomena occurred. Here we find that particles are able to create a disturbance in the space around them thus when another particle is present it feels a force. As a result it became know that we lived in a world where there were forces that interacted and we all experience energy fields. This would explain how we are all able to have an effect on each other without being in physical proximity to each other. This is known as Field theory and explains our ability to pick up “vibes”: for you to feel when someone stares at you from across the room or to get a feel for someone before you even speak to him/her. You can also pick up a feel for an animal and whether he is happy or sad (Gerber 2001:47).

The American physicist Nick Herbert has been even more specific on the similarities between Quantum Theory and consciousness. Herbert thinks that “consciousness is a pervasive process in nature. Mind is as fundamental a component of the universe as elementary particles and forces. Mind can be detected by three features of quantum theory: randomness, thinglessness (objects acquire attributes only once they are observed) and interconnectedness (John Bell's discovery that once two particles have interacted they remain connected). Herbert thinks that these three features of inert matter can account for three basic features of mind: free will, essential ambiguity, and deep psychic connectedness. Scientists may be vastly underestimating the quantity of consciousness in the universe.” (http://www.scaruffi.com/science/qc.html)

Theory of Relativity

In 1905 Albert Einstein published his special theory of relativity. What this basically says is the time is not linear and that space is not three dimensional. Both go together to form a four dimensional space time continuum. We could all be living all of our lifetimes simultaneously in a different space time continuum. According to Einstein, “Mass is nothing but a form of energy and matter is simply slowed down or crystalized energy” [cited in Brennan 1988:24 Thus as a physical being we are just made up of energy but not only this we could be living all of our lifetimes at once in a different time and space. As all living being consist of just energy we are able to exchange energy and communication is being able to exchange energy which is then interpreted by our bodies as data. Much like when we see a picture. The image we see is light waves that are focused on the retina and here the light is changed into an electro chemical signal that can be interpreted by the brain.

Holograms

Let us look at a picture made from laser light, this is called a holograph. A Hologram is made by sending a single laser beam through an optical splitter [beam splitter] in order to create two laser beams from the same source. One of the beams passes through a diffusing lens that spreads it from pencil thin rays into flash like beacons. This beam is directed by mirrors to fall onto a photographic plate while the other beam also passes through a diffusing lens but its job is to light up the object being photographed. Now what happens is this beam also falls upon a photographic plate after bouncing off the object and this creates a 3-D image that we call a hologram e.g. In retinal photography. “The amazing property of a hologram is you can cut away a little piece of the photographic film, hold it up to the laser light and still see an entire intact three-dimensional image of the photographed object”. [Gerber 2001: 47] The fact is that a hologram is an energy interference pattern in each piece within this pattern contains the whole.

Diagram 5: How a holographic image is made

This in turn would mean that particles can be waves at the same time that they are particles. The universe has become a web of inseparable energy.
According to a brain researcher known as Dr Karl Pribam: “The Universe is defined as a dynamic inseparable whole which always includes the observer in an essential way. The hologram concept states that every piece is an exact representation of the whole and can be used to reconstruct the whole hologram”. [Cited in Brennan 1988:25] Our brain operates in a holographic manner as when we use our sense of say smell the information is sent around our whole system then each piece of our system can produce the information of the whole.

If we take this one step further, this principle can be seen in the human body where every cell contains a DNA blueprint. From this one cell we can clone the entire human. There have been many ethical issues surrounding human cloning and to date in 1997 a sheep named Dolly was cloned. To date 22 species of animals have been cloned ranging from a fish to a wolf.

When a foetus is created from a sperm cell from a male and an ovum from a female, then each cell contains 50% of the chromosome material from each of them. The cells then multiply to form an embryo but the question is how that each cell knows where it must go in order to form say an arm or a leg. Science cannot explain this but the Etheric blueprint of the physical body can. (Gerber 2001:51)

The etheric body is a holographic energy template of the physical body and has within it the blueprint needed to tell the cells where to go to form the structures of the physical body.

In the 1940s Harold Burr began photographing bioelectrical fields of plants and he found that the electrical field around a seedling was not the shape of the original seed, but was the shape of the adult plant. [cited by Gerber 2001:53]. He is saying that our energy field holds the blueprint of how we will look as an adult and as such can direct the cellular activity to attain this as a physical reality.

This shows on an energetic level that by being able to tune in to the electromagnetic field of a living being. This can be done by clairsentience, clairvoyance or any extra sensory perception. It is a very helpful skill when wanting to assess the health of a being.

Diagram 6: A seed showing the energy field of the adult plant

Quantum Physics

It has been proven by physicists by the wave particle duality of subatomic particles that one cannot only convert matter into energy but that it should also be possible to convert energy into matter. We have learnt that light is able to be both a particle and a wave. Light then often appears in discreet energy packets called Quanta. It was then discovered that matter, on a subatomic level does not have a definite existence but has a tendency to exist. Particles can change into other particles and they can come into being from energy and then just vanish. As a conclusion everything that is being is composed of the same energy. {Cited by Hawkins & Mlodinow 2010: 90}
According to quantum physics a particle has no definite position or speed unless and until these qualities are measured by an observer. There are many particle that cannot be measured but seem to just pop in and out of existence. “Werner Heisenbergs uncertainty principle of 1926 states: You cannot together measure the speed and position of a particle. “ [ Cited by Hawkins & Mlodinow 2010: 90]
“quantum physics leads us to accept a new form of determination, given the state of the system at some time, the laws of nature determine the possibilities of various pasts and futures rather than determining the past and future with certainty” [by Hawkins & Mlodinow 2010: 90] According to quantum physics each particle is some probability of being found anyway in the universe, and the universe has no single past or history.

Bell's Theorem

In 1964, a physicist, J.S Bell, published Bell’s Theorem. This theorem mathematically supports the concept that subatomic particles are connected in some way that transcends space and time. [Cited by Brennan 1988: 27] This means that if something happened to one particle it will affect another particle but this would happen at once without time being a factor. It implies we can connect instantly with anyone, anywhere. This applies to humans as well as animals.

The hundredth Monkey Principle

According to Rupert Sheldrake this is the theory that all systems are regulated by organized fields which serve as blueprints for form and behaviour. This effect reaches across time and space meaning their effect is the same at a distance as it is in close range. [Cited by Brennan 1988: 27]

A very good example of this is shown by Lyall Watson in the hundredth Monkey principle. In 1952 there was a monkey called Macaca who had been observed in the wild for 30 years. The scientists had been feeding monkeys sweet potatoes dropped in the sand. The monkeys loved the potatoes but not the dirt so one of the younger monkeys learnt how to wash her potatoes and soon taught their mothers.

The mothers learnt from their children but somehow the adults did not learn from each other. Then suddenly all the monkeys learnt to wash the potatoes but the amazing thing is that soon colonies of monkeys far away soon all began washing their potatoes. None of these groups of monkeys were in contact with each other or feeding humans.

This is explained as when a new behaviour is learnt by a species then the causative field for the species is altered. If this behaviour continues, due to morphic resonance, it will have an impact on the entire species. Sheldrake calls morphic resonance. He describes it as a kind of memory in things determined not by their inherent natures, but by repetition. He also describes morphic resonance as something which is transmitted via "morphogenetic fields." This gives him a conceptual framework wherein information is transmitted mysteriously and miraculously through any amount of space and time without loss of energy, and presumably without loss or change of content through something like mutation in DNA replication. Thus, room is made for psychical as well as physical transmission of information. {Cited by Brennan 1988: 27}

This leads us to conclude that the universe is a connected whole with a huge interlocking web of infinite possibilities. We are a part of the whole but since it is inseparable we are able to tap into this interconnected field to heal anyone anywhere.

The Universal Energy Field

Then we have the concept of the universal energy field which states that this field exists somewhere between the realms of matter and energy. Dr John White and Stanley Krippner, specialists in life energies and the physics of paranormal phenomena, state that this energy field has the following properties:

It permeates all space, animate and inanimate objects and connects all objects to each other.

It flows from one object to another and its density varies inversely with the distance from its source.

It also follows the laws of harmonic inductance and sympathetic resonance.

If you are able to view the field you will see it is very organized. It has pulsing points of light, webs of lines, sparkles and has clouds.

People who have investigated the field say that united the field is more powerful than if you had to add the sum of all of its individual components.

The UEF is always associated with some form of consciousness.

It exists in greater than three dimensions and is amazing in that the energy field always remains charged no matter how much energy is drawn from it. [cited by Brennan 1988: 40]

We perform animal communication by tuning into the field and selecting the same frequency as the animal. It’s like tuning into a radio station. If we are unable to find the correct frequency, we will be unable to telepathically communicate and receive reliable information.

Diagram 7: The universal energy field

Quantum physics has discovered a property in the subatomic world of known as non-locality. This refers to the ability of quantum entity, such as an individual electron, to influence and other quantum particle over any distance despite there being no exchange of energy or force. [Mctaggart,L 2003: 12]

Scientists suggest that once quantum particles have made a connection, this connection is always retained no matter how far apart these particles get separated. That is how one particle is always able to influence the other one. No matter how hard scientists tried to take quantum measurements in the laboratory the results always differed between observers suggesting that there was a relationship between the two.

The next question was whether the consciousness of the person observing the experiment was impacting on the measurements. That's leading us to believe that we are in fact the creators of our own reality. In the world of quantum physics, quantum fields are not governed by forces but by exchanges of energy which constantly move around in a dynamic pattern. Thus there is a constant energy exchange. Everything in the universe is interconnected through time and space.

Einsteins Theory

Einstein's famous equation is E=mc². This established that energy turns into mass. What is now realised is that this equation tells us how much energy is needed to create the appearance of mass. Thus everything you see or feel in this world at its most basic form is simply a collection of energetic charges that are interacting within a background of electromagnetic charges and fields. There is no such thing as mass, only an electrical charge. (Mctaggart 2003:14)

Bio photon emissions

Harold Burr, a professor of anatomy at the Yale University School of Medicine from 1916 to 1950, began to study bio photon emissions in living things. This was done by recording the light emitted by cells. He found that in a healthy person the emissions were cyclical and balanced but when someone was ill the emissions became erratic and disorganised. This showed that where there was a disruption in the smooth balanced flow of energy the person became ill on a physical level. The same applies to an animal. (cited by Mctaggart:2003 47)

The Digibio laboratory in Claremart, USA, did an amazing experiment where they took a genuine pig heart and kept it pumping using cardiac bypass technology. They were then able to dilate or constrict the blood flow through the vessels by using drugs such as histamine and atropine. They then recorded the frequencies of the electromagnetic signals that were given to the cells by the drugs and when they played the signals back to the heart. The heart reacted in exactly the same way as if it had been given the drugs. This proved that by mimicking the electromagnetic frequency of the drugs, the scientists were able to produce the same effects on the blood vessels as was obtained through conventional medicine. Thus introducing a specific energy frequency to the physical body is able to impact the body in a positive healing way. This is very important when performing animal healing which goes hand in hand with communication.

Where memories are stored

Walter Schemp, a mathematician at the University of Siegen in Germany, discovered the quantum holograph in 1992. All of our outer reality that is perceived by the brain comes from the five senses, hearing, smell, taste, touch and visual perception.

Immanuel Kant stated that what we know of the world at large is an interpretation made by our brain. The translation your brain makes from the external stimulus of the visual cortex to the picture that you hold in your head is all from external electromagnetic wave patterns.

People always thought that memories are stored in the grey matter of your brain. By experiments on rats it was discovered that memory resides in all the different parts of the brain and not in one specific area. Now when the holographic theory was discovered it was realise that memories are stored as a wave interference pattern.
Walter Schemp who later contributed to the quantum brain theory by stating that memories are not actually stored within the brain itself but in the fabric of space, the physical vacuum. The brain acts simply as a reader/writer tool to access the physical vacuum where the holographic memory is stored as a wave pattern.

The whole body is connected by micro tubules filled with water that connected the whole body like the internet. This meant that the whole body and not just the brain, share the same conscious awareness. The body is like the Internet and the brain like a computer that can logon at any time to any place. This would mean our human capacity for knowledge and communication is far greater than we could ever imagine.

The above scientific data has demonstrated that the whole world and everything in it consists purely of energy. We, and everything around us, are surrounded by their one’s own individual electromagnetic fields which is known as the Aura.

Surrounding and interpenetrating everything is a Universal energy field inside which we all reside. Everything we do will have a ripple effect. We do not live in a three dimensional universe and there is no linear time. In order to communicate with an animal, it is simply a matter of tuning into the universal energy field and allowing communication to happen.

In the next section, I will take this discussion of scientific theory further by discussing the process involved in telepathically communicating with another living being.